Method of making a valve construction having multiple piston means

ABSTRACT

A valve construction having a housing provided with a chamber and ports leading to the chamber and having an axially movable piston unit disposed in the chamber to interconnect certain of the ports together in relation to the axial position of the piston unit that is caused by a condition responsive device operatively associated with the piston unit, the piston unit comprising a plurality of pistons disposed in spaced parallel relation and being secured together to be axially moved in unison in the chamber under the influence of the condition responsive device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application is a divisional patent application of its copendingparent patent application, Ser. No. 911,403, filed June 1, 1978, nowU.S. Pat. No. 4,228,817.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an improved condition responsive valveconstruction and method of making the same.

2. Prior Art Statement

It is known to provide a valve construction having a housing meansprovided with a chamber and port means leading to the chamber and havingan axially movable piston means disposed in the chamber to interconnectcertain of the port means together in relation to the axial position ofthe piston means that is caused by a condition responsive deviceoperatively associated with the piston means.

For example, see the following four U.S. patents:

(1) U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,058--Jackson et al

(2) U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,124--Payne

(3) U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,472--Kawabata (4) U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,942--Neyet al.

It appers that the valve construction of item (1) above has an axiallymovable piston member which through the length thereof can controlvarious sets of ports in the housing means carrying the piston member,the piston member being operated by a piston and cylinder temperatureresponsive device operatively interconnected to one end of the pistonmember.

Similarly, the valve construction of item (2) above has a piston memberfor controlling port means of a housing means, the piston member of item(2) above carrying axially spaced flexible O-rings in annular groovesthereof to provide the sealing functions between certain ports thereofwhereas the housing means of item (1) above has such O-rings beingcarried thereby to operate on various lands of the piston member.

It appears that the valve construction of item (3) above has a singledisc-like piston member acting against a plurality of non-attachedpiston-like valve stems carried respectively by a plurality ofpiston-like valve members that control separate sets of port means of ahousing means in response to sensed temperature of a temperatureresponsive device interconnected to the disc-like piston member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a feature of this invention to provide a valve construction with aunique piston arrangement so that multiple port control can be providedthereby while maintaining the overall length of the valve constructionrelatively short.

In particular, one embodiment of this invention provides a valveconstruction having a housing means provided with a chamber and portmeans leading to the chamber and having an axially movable piston meansdisposed in the chamber to interconnect certain of the port meanstogether in relation to the axial position of the piston means that iscaused by a condition responsive device operatively associated with thepiston means, the piston means comprising a plurality of pistonsdisposed in spaced parallel relation and being secured together to beaxially moved in unison in the chamber under the influence of thecondition responsive means.

Each piston of the piston means of this invention is adapted to controlthe interconnection of certain of the port means independently of theremainder of the pistons.

It appears that the valve construction of item (4) above has a pair ofpiston-like valve members disposed for parallel axial movement in ahousing, the piston valve members having adjacent ends thereofinterconnected together outboard of the housing means receiving thesame.

In one embodiment of this invention, each of the pistons is adapted tochange the interconnection of its respective port means at the samesensed condition of the condition responsive device that causes theremainder of the pistons to change its respective port interconnection.

In another embodiment of this invention, each piston is adapted tochange the interconnection of its respective port means at a sensedcondition of the condition responsive device different than the sensedcondition thereof that causes the remainder of the pistons to change itsrespective port interconnection.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedvalve construction having one or more of the novel features of thisinvention as set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of making such avalve construction or the like, the method of this invention having oneor more of the novel features of this invention as set forth above orhereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from areading of this description which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the valve constructionof this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1and illustrates the two rows of ports being disposed 180° apart ratherthan parallel as illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and illustrates another embodiment ofthe valve construction of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and illustrates another embodiment ofthe valve construction of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of thevalve construction of this invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken in line 6--6 of FIG. 5with the two rows of ports thereof being shown approximately 180° apartrather than parallel as in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 and illustrates another embodiment ofthe valve construction of this invention.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 and illustrates another embodiment ofthe valve construction of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter describedand illustrated as being particularly adapted to provide temperatureoperated valve constructions, it is to be understood that the variousfeatures of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combinationthereof to be responsive to other conditions as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized toillustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, an improved valve construction of thisinvention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 andcomprises a housing means 11 formed from two parts 12 and 13 suitablysecured together to define a chamber 14 within the housing member 12 andcarrying a conventional piston and cylinder temperature responsivedevice 15 by the housing member 13 whereby a piston member 16 of thetemperature responsive device 15 is adapted to project into the chamber14 and control the position of a piston means 17 disposed for axialmovement therein in a manner hereinafter set forth.

The chamber 14 of the housing means 11 has two cylindrical sections 18and 19 disposed spaced and parallel to each other and respectivelyhaving their left hand ends in FIG. 2 closed by suitable plugs 20 whilethe right hand ends thereof in FIG. 2 are adapted to be respectivelydisposed in fluid communication with a main part 21 of the chamber 14 asillustrated.

The housing member 12 has two rows or sets 22 and 23 of outwardlydirected nipple means 24 each of which has a port means 25 passingtherethrough and intersecting with the chamber 14.

In particular, the row or set 22 of port means 25 comprises three ports26, 27 and 28 with the ports 26 and 27 respectively intersecting withthe section 18 of the chamber 14 while the port 28 intersects with themain part 21 thereof.

The row or set 23 of port means 25 has two ports 29 and 30 respectivelyintersecting with the section 19 of the chamber 14.

The housing member 12 has an inwardly stepped cylindrical valve seatsection 31 in the chamber section 18 and has a similar inwardly steppedvalve seat section 32 in the chamber section 19, the valve seat lengthsor sections 31 and 32 respectively having opposed ends or shoulders 33and 34 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The ports 27 and 30 respectively interrupt the valve seat sections 31and 32 intermediate their ends 33 and 34 thereof for a purposehereinafter described.

The piston means 17 of this invention comprises a one-piece structureformed of any suitable material having two cylindrical pistons 35 and 36disposed in spaced parallel relation and respectively integrallyinterconnected together at their ends 37 to a plate-like part 38 whiletheir other ends 39 are disposed in free cantilevered form remote fromthe plate means 38, the piston members 35 and 36 being adapted to berespectively received in the sections 18 and 19 of the chamber 14 asillustrated while the plate means 38 is disposed in the main part 21 ofthe chamber 14.

The plate means 38 is interrupted at the side 40 thereof by an opening41 that is adapted to receive the piston 16 of the temperatureresponsive device 15 therein while an end surface 42 of a cylinder part43 of the device 15 is adapted to abut against the surface 40 of theplate means 38 of the piston means 17 when the piston means 17 hascaused substantially a full retraction of the piston member 16 withinthe housing held cylinder 43 of the device 15 under the force of acompression spring 44 that is disposed in the main part 21 of thechamber 14 and has one end 45 bearing against the housing member 12 andthe other end 46 thereof bearing against the plate means 38 to tend tomove the piston means 17 to the right in FIG. 2.

The piston 35 has a pair of spaced annular grooves 47 and 48 formedtherein and respectively receiving annular resilient O-ring-like members49 and 50 which project outwardly beyond the outer peripheralcylindrical surface 51 of the piston 35 in such a manner that when theO-ring member 49 or 50 is received in the valve seat section 31 of thechamber section 18, the particular O-ring member 49 or 50 will sealagainst the same completely around the piston 35 for a valving purposehereinafter described.

Similarly, the piston 36 has a pair of axially spaced annular grooves 52and 53 formed in the outer peripheral cylindrical surface 54 thereof andrespectively receiving annular resilient O-ring-like members 55 and 56which are respectively adapted to seal completely around the piston 36against the valve seat section 32 of the chamber section 19 whendisposed therein for a valving purpose hereinafter described.

The temperature responsive device 15 is conventional in the art and thesame contains a wax charge or the like which expands upon the sensing ofa certain temperature to force the piston 16 outwardly relative to thehousing held cylinder member 43 and when cooled below that certaintemperature, the wax charge contracts to permit the piston 16 to beretracted into the cylinder member 43, such as by the force of thecompression spring 44, whereby the temperature sensed by the device 15determines the position of the piston means 17 relative to the housingmeans 11 and, thus, determines the interconnection of the port means 25by the pistons 35 and 36 in a manner now to be described.

In the embodiment of the valve construction 10 of this inventionillustrated in FIG. 2, the sealing members 49, 50 and 55, 56 are soarranged on their respective pistons 35 and 36 that when the device 15is sensing a temperature which permits the piston 16 to be fullyretracted into the cylinder 43 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the sealingmember 49 of the piston 35 is sealing against the valve seat section 31intermediate the ports 26 and 27 while the sealing member 50 is spacedfrom the end 34 of the valve seat section 31 so that port 28 is disposedin fluid communication with the port 27.

Under such conditions of the temperature responsive device 15, thesealing members 55 and 56 of the piston 36 are disposed in sealingengagement against the valve seat section 32 with the sealing member 55being disposed intermediate the ports 29 and 30 so that the ports 29 and30 are sealed from each other and the port 30 is sealed from the port 28because the sealing member 56 is disposed intermediate the port 30 andthe end 34 of the valve seat section 32.

However, when the temperature sensed by the device 15 increases to aparticular temperature thereof so that the wax charge therein expands toforce the piston 16 to the left in FIG. 2 out of the held cylinder 43 tomove the piston means 17 axially to the left in FIG. 2 in opposition tothe force of the compression spring 44, the sealing member 49 is movedto the left beyond the end 33 of the valve seat section 31 to disconnectthe ports 27 and 28 from each other. At the same time, the sealingmember 55 of the piston 36 is moved to the left beyond the end 33 of thevalve seat section 32 to now fluidly interconnect the ports 29 and 30together, the sealing member 56 still remaining in sealing contact withthe valve seat section 32 intermediate the ports 30 and 28 so that theport 28 is never fluidly interconnected to the port 30.

In this manner, it can be seen that the chamber section 19 of the valveconstruction 10 is being utilized as a two port, normally closed valvewhile the chamber section 18 of the valve construction 10 is beingutilized as a three port switching valve with the center port 27 and theend port 28 being common when the device 15 is cold and switching tohave the ports 26 and 27 common when the device 15 is hot.

When the device 15 subsequently cools to permit the piston 16 to retractinto the cylinder 43 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 under the forceof the compression spring 44, the piston 35 disconnects the port 26 fromthe port 27 while interconnecting the port 27 to the port 28 and thepiston 36 disconnects the ports 29 and 30 from each other.

Therefore, it can be seen that the valve construction 10 as illustratedin FIGS. 1 and 2 is adapted to provide two different switching functionswherein the operation of the chamber sections 18 and 19 are independentfrom each other so that the overall length of the valve construction 10is relatively short when compared with devices that attempt toaccomplish the same switching functions by a single piston member.

While the valve construction 10 has been previously described as havingthe switching function for the row 22 of ports 25 occurring at the samesensed temperature that the switching function for the row 23 of ports25 is taking place, it is to be understood that the switching for therow 22 of ports 25 could take place at a different sensed temperaturethan the switching for the row 23 of ports 25 by merely forming one ormore of the annular grooves 47, 48, 52 and 53 for the pistons 35 and 36in different axial postions.

For example, reference is now made to FIG. 3 wherein another embodimentof the valve construction of this invention is generally indicated bythe reference numeral 10A and parts thereof that are similar to thevalve construction 10 previously described are indicated by likereference numerals followed by the reference letter "A".

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the sealing members 49A and 50A of the piston35A are in the same location as the piston 35 previously described whilethe sealing members 55A and 56A for the piston 36A are located furtherto the right than the sealing members 55 and 56 of the piston member 36.

In this manner, the piston 35A will cause its switching function for theports 26A, 27A and 28A at the same temperature that the piston 35performed its switching function as previously described, but at thattime the sealing member 55A of the piston 36A is still disposed insealing engagement against the valve seat section 32A so that the ports29A and 30A are still disconnected from each other. However, upon afurther increase in the temperature sensed by the device 15A, the pistonmeans 17A is further moved to the left in FIG. 3 by the extending piston16A so that at a certain higher sensed temperature, the sealing member55A is moved to the left beyond the end 33A of the valve seat section32A to interconnect the ports 29A and 30A together while the sealingmember 56A still remains in sealing contact with the valve seat surface32A intermediate the ports 30A and 28A.

Thus, it can be seen that the valve construction 10A performs theswitching function for the piston 35A at a lower temperature than thetemperature that causes a switching function for the piston 36A.

Obviously, the pistons 35A and 36A could have the sealing members 49A,50A and 55A, 56A arranged in such a manner that the piston 36A willperform its switching function at a lower temperature than thetemperature that will cause the piston 35A to perform its switchingfunction.

Also, it is to be understood that the valve construction 10 of thisinvention could be utilized to have both cavaties or chamber sections 18and 19 thereof utilized as three port switching valves so that the port28 would be common to both sections 18 and 19 when the temperaturesensing device 15 is cold or sensing a temperature below the switchingtemperature thereof, the two chamber sections 18 and 19 switching at thesame temperature or at different temperatures as desired.

In particular, reference is now made to FIG. 4 wherein another valveconstruction of this invention is generally indicated by the referencenumeral 10B and parts thereof similar to the valve construction 10previously described are indicated by like reference numerals followedby the reference letter "B".

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the valve construction 10B is substantiallyidentical to the valve construction 10 previously described as the onlydifference between the valve constructions 10 and 10B is that thesealing member 56B for the piston 36B has been moved to the right tosuch a position that when the device 15B is sensing a temperature belowthe actuating temperature thereof, the sealing member 56B is to theright beyond the end 34B of the valve seat section 32B so that the port28B is disposed in fluid communication with the port 30B as well as influid communication with the port 27B.

However, when the device 15B senses a certain temperature to extend thepiston 16B to the left in FIG. 4 and move the piston means 17B to theleft so that the sealing members 50B and 56B respectively seal againstthe valve seat sections 31B and 32B to disconnect the port 28B from theports 27B and 30B, the sealing members 49B and 55B have been moved tothe left beyond the ends 33B of the valve seat sections 31B and 32B topermit the ports 27B and 30B to be respectively interconnected to theports 26B and 29B as previously described.

While the pistons 35B and 36B of FIG. 4 have been illustrated anddescribed as switching at the same temperature, it is to be understoodthat the same could switch at different temperatures with the piston 35Bswitching at a lower temperature than the piston 36B or with the piston36B switching at a temperature lower than the piston 35B by merelyhaving the sealing members of the respective pistons 35B and 36Brearranged thereon as previously described.

Another valve construction of this invention is generally indicated bythe reference numeral 10C in FIGS. 5 and 6 and parts thereof that aresimilar to the valve construction 10 previously described are indicatedby like reference numerals followed by the reference letter "C".

While the valve construction 10C has a housing means 11C, a temperaturesensing device 15C, an axially movable piston means 17C formed of twopiston members 35C and 36C respectively movable in chamber sections 18Cand 19C similar to the valve construction 10 previously described, thehousing means 11C is formed from the housing part 13C and two otherhousing members 60 and 61 suitably secured together and cooperatingtogether to define the chamber 14C as well as the two rows or sets 22Cand 23C of nipple means 24C and port means 25C previously described.

However, the housing members 60 and 61 respectively define inwardlydirected annular elongated and axially spaced valve seat surfaces orsections 62 and 63 in the chamber section 18C and similar inwardlydirected annular valve seat surfaces or sections 64 and 65 in thechamber section 19C, the ends 66 of the valve seat sections 62 and 64being respectively axially spaced from adjacent ends 67 of the valveseat surfaces 63 and 65 which have other ends 68 terminating in the mainpart 21C of the chamber 14C.

The ports 26C and 20C respectively intersect the valve seat sections 62and 64 and the ports 27C and 30C respectively intersect the chambersections 18C and 19C intermediate the valve seat sections 62, 63 and 64,65 while the port 28C intersects the main part 21C of the chamber 14C.

The annular sealing members 49C and 50C for the piston 35C are soarranged that when the device 15C is in its fully collapsed temperaturesensing condition as illustrated in FIG. 6, the sealing member 49C isspaced to the right from the end 66 of the valve seat surface 62 so thatthe ports 26C and 27C are fluidly interconnected together while thesealing member 50C seals against the valve seat surface 63 to preventfluid communication between the ports 27C and 28C.

Similarly, the sealing members 55C and 56C of the piston member 36C areso positioned when the device 15C is in the cold condition illustratedin FIG. 6 that the sealing member 55C is spaced to the right from theend 56 of the valve seat 64 so that the ports 29C and 30C are fluidlyinterconnected together and the sealing member 56C prevents fluidcommunication between the port 30C and the port 28C.

However, when the temperature sensing device 15C senses a certaintemperature to cause the piston 15C to move to the left in FIG. 6 acertain distance to move the piston means 17C so that the sealingmembers 49C and 55C respectively seal against the valve seat surfaces 62and 64, fluid communication between the ports 26C and 27C is terminatedas well as between the ports 29C and 30C. At this time, the sealingmember 50C has been moved to the left beyond the end 67 of the valveseat surface 63 so that the port 28C is now interconnected to the port27C. However, at this time, the sealing member 56C is still in sealingengagement with the valve seat surface 65 so that the 30D is stillblocked from the port 28D.

As previously stated, by merely rearranging the one or more of thesealing members 49C, 50C 55C and 56C on their respective piston means35C and 36C, the upper row 26C of ports 25C can be switched at adifferent temperature from the switching temperature for the lower row23C of port 25C.

For example, the valve construction 10D in FIG. 7 is substantiallyidentical to the valve construction 10C previously described wherebylike parts are indicated by like reference numerals followed by thereference letter "D".

However, the sealing members 55D and 56D have been moved further to theright on the piston 36D so that the piston member 36D switches at ahigher temperature than the piston 35D.

Accordingly, it can be seen that in the valve constructions 10C and 10Dof FIGS. 6 and 7, the row or set 23C or 23D or ports 25C or 25D can beutilized as a two port normally opened valve while the row 22C or 22D isused as a three port switching valve with the ports 26C or 26D and 27Dor 27C being common when the valve is cold and switching to have theport 28C or 28D common to the port 27C or 27D when the valve is hot.

As shown by the valve construction 10D, the rows 22D and 23D of ports25D can be switched at the same temperature or different temperatures asdesired.

Also, the valve construction 10C can be used as two three port switchingvalves having the port 28C common to both sides or chamber sections 18Cand 19C when the valve is hot and they can be switched at the sametemperature or different temperatures as desired.

For example, reference is now made to FIG. 8 wherein another valveconstruction of this invention is generally indicated by the referencenumeral 10E and parts thereof similar to the valve construction 10Cpreviously described are indicated by like reference numerals followedby the reference letter "E".

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the sealing member 56E is spaced further tothe left than the valve member 56C of FIG. 6 so that when the piston 36Eis moved to the left in FIG. 8 to close the sealing member 55E againstthe valve seat surface 64E, the sealing member 56E is spaced to the leftbeyond the end 67E of the valve seat surface 65E so that the port 28E isnow common to the port 30E as well as to the port 27E because the pistonmember 35E has also accomplished its switching function at this time.

Of course, the piston means 17E can be changed so that the same willswitch the piston members 35E and 36E at different sensed temperaturesin the manner previously described.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention provides a valveconstruction having a piston means comprising a plurality of pistonmembers disposed in spaced parallel relation and being secured togetherto move in unison in response to a condition sensed by a conditionresponsive device so that the overall length of the valve constructionof this invention is relatively short when compared with conventionalvalve constructions that accomplish the same number of switchingoperations.

While the forms and methods of this invention now preferred have beenillustrated and described as required by the Patent Statute, it is to beunderstood that other forms and method steps can be utilized and stillfall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a method of making a valve construction havinga housing means provided with a chamber and port means leading to saidchamber and having an axially movable piston means disposed in saidchamber to interconnect certain of said port means together in relationto the axial position of said piston means that is caused by a conditionresponsive device and a spring means operatively associated with saidpiston means, the improvement comprising the steps of forming saidpiston means to comprise a plurality of pistons disposed in spacedparallel relation and being secured together to be axially moved inunison in said chamber under the influence of said condition responsivedevice, disposing a single coiled compression spring in said chamber,and telescoping said spring over all of said pistons so that all of saidpistons are axially disposed inside said spring.
 2. A method as setforth in claim 1 and including the step of forming each of said pistonsto be adapted to control the interconnection of certain of said portmeans independently of the remainder of said pistons.
 3. A method as setforth in claim 2 and including the step of forming each of said pistonsto be adapted to change the interconnection of its respective certainport means at the same sensed condition of said condition responsivedevice that causes said remainder of said pistons to change itsrespective interconnection.
 4. A method as set forth in claim 2 andincluding the step of forming each of said pistons to be adapted tochange the interconnection of its respective certain port means at asensed condition of said condition responsive device different than thesensed condition thereof that causes said remainder of said pistons tochange its respective interconnection.
 5. A method as set forth in claim1 and including the step of forming said piston means to comprise aone-piece member having said pistons integral with one side of a platemeans disposed at one end of said pistons.
 6. A method as set forth inclaim 5 and including the step of forming said condition responsivedevice to have a movable part disposed in engagement with the other sideof said plate means during at least part of the axial movement of saidpiston means by said condition responsive device.
 7. A method as setforth in claim 6 said step of disposing said spring in said housingmeans comprises the step of disposing one end of said spring to bearagainst said plate means to tend to axially move said piston means inone direction relative to said housing means.
 8. A method as set forthin claim 1 and including the steps of forming said chamber to have aplurality of sections respectively receiving part of said pistonstherein, and forming each section to have certain of said port meansinterconnecting therewith whereby each piston part controls the portmeans of its respective section independently of the remainder of saidpistons.
 9. A method as set forth in claim 8 and including the steps offorming said chamber with a part thereof that is disposed incommunication with said sections, and forming one of said port means tointerconnect with said part of said chamber.
 10. A method as set forthin claim 9 and including the step of forming each section to have atleast two port means interconnecting therewith.
 11. A method as setforth in claim 7 and including the step of disposing said spring so thatsaid pistons each has its longitudinal axis disposed substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal axis of said spring.
 12. A method as setforth in claim 11 and including the step of forming said port means tobe disposed in a plurality of rows thereof that are substantiallyparallel to each other.
 13. A method as set forth in claim 12 andincluding the step of forming each row of said port means to be disposedsubstantially transverse to said longitudinal axis of its respectivepiston.
 14. A method as set forth in claim 13 and including the steps offorming said housing means with a plurality of nipple means extendingtherefrom, and interconnecting said port means respectively with saidnipple means.